It’s that time of year again! While winter is a time to hunker down and stay warm, many people use this time to plan their spring and summer home renovation projects. Most home renovations take place in either the kitchen or bathroom, as these are the rooms that are most used.
There are two main factors to consider while planning your home renovation project; time and money. Before diving in head first into your renovation planning, it’s important to do a little homework, weigh the pros and cons, and consider alternative — and more cost effective — methods that can yield the same, if not better results.
As with any remodeling project, bathroom renovations can be an exciting time. However, be warned. That excitement can quickly turn into frustration if proper planning did not take place prior to any work being done. While it’s easy to get caught in the excitement of planning, it’s important to realize your renovation dream can easily turn into a financial nightmare.
It may be tempting to run out and purchase a new bathtub, however, replacing a bathtub is often a long, and expensive process. The cost of a new bathtub may see relatively affordable, however, this amount does not include tub removal, tub installation, and the replacement of worn or damaged plumbing. Simply put, tub installation is not for the faint of heart, or inexperienced DIY-ers.
Luckily however, tub refinishing, also called tub resurfacing or reglazing, allows you to transform your existing tub to a like new condition, no plumbing involved. Aside from being much more affordable than a tub replacement and tub installation, bathtub repair or refinishing time takes much less time — typically 48 hours at the most — which is much less disruptive to your daily household activities. Also, bathtubs can be refinished in any number of colors, making it easy to create a cohesive, designer-inspired look for much less.
Great references here.